GB2459293A

GB2459293A - Roller cleaning device

Info

Publication number: GB2459293A
Application number: GB0807044A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Frederick Cairncross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-18
Filing date: 2008-04-18
Publication date: 2009-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-18
Also published as: GB0807044D0; GB2459293B

Abstract

A roller cleaner device is intended to be mounted as a retrofit, at the receiving edge of the existing trough 1, contacts the surface of a rotating roll 9 and removes surplus liquid there from, for example, from a compression roll 9 in a coating machine. The scraper blade 5 and its releasably attached carrier 6 are positioned in a rectangular chamber or deep slot, formed at the receiving edge of the trough 1, the rear side of said chamber providing the closure wall of the trough 1. Within the chamber mounted on the rear side of the chamber is a flexible expandable pneumatic flat tube 3, 4 extending the full length of the scraper blade 5. When pressurised, the tube 3, 4 clamps the scraper blade 5 and its carrier 6 in the working position and also forms a seal to contain the coating product. Subsequently the scraper blade 5 is urged into contact with the roll by forward movement by the trough on its pivot mountings.

Description

ROLLER CLEANIIG DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

The design of metal coating machines require the provision of a roller cleaning device usually consisting of a scraper blade in pressured contact with the cylindrical surface of a compression roller, thus removing any coating material deposited on the surface of the said roller, directing it into a collecting trough which is in close proximity to blade and roller. This operation is essential to both prevent fouling of the underside of the printed metal sheet and recover valuable coating material. Unfortunately the continued contact of blade and roller surface wears the blade, more particularly, requiring frequent replacement to maintain effectiveness, often in excess of 10 times per shift causing repeated interruption of the coating process. The earlier designs of coating machines, many of which are still in operation, have a scraper blade which is fixed to the collecting through by a series of threaded studs and nuts passing through slots in the base of the said blade and in these older machines the blade also provides the front wall of the trough, so that changing the blade involves not only unfastening multiple nuts but the cleaning of the mating surfaces of the trough and blade and some loss of coating material.

A more recent designs charactensed by having a trough complete with sides, and an independently pivotally mounted blade assembly which is easier to change for a spare assembly. However the preferred design of the new blade assembly retained the clamping technique of earlier designs in that several threaded studs were involved, and nuts still needed to be unfastened and refastened many times per shift.

The present invention was developed as a retrofit for the older design of metal coating machines, having collecting troughs which are open sided (until fitted with blades).

However the proposed roller cleaning device can be readily adapted to fit many existing metal coating machines.

The present invention permits the use of the existing blades, but, the preferred blades are un-slotted, thinner and uncomplicated to manufacture and require less forcing to make full contact with the roller cylindrical surface, which facilitates, light pressure scraping and thus promotes both cylinder and blade longevity. The design facilitates quick blade change-over and eliminates cleaning as the trough contents can be retained during this process.

The new invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing fig 1 & 2 in which; Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention with an end view of a collecting trough (1) in the operating position adjacent to the compression cylinder (9).

The trough is shown fitted with a module (2) extending the length of the trough providing a location for a scraper blade (5) attached to a blade carrier (6). Also provided within the vertical wall on the opposite roll side of the module (2) are recesses to receive and anchor hollow flexible expandable mouldings which are shown inrecesses (3) & (4) The scraper blade (5) is an existing standard type with slotted base releasably attached to a blade carrier (6) by a plurality of small magnets (7), the blade height being adjusted by jack screws (8) which can be set to a gauge on or off the machine.

Figure 2. Shows a further version of an alternative blade assembly in which the carrier has been modified to support a smaller blade, carrier (6) has been modified to support a smaller blade (5) Prior to advancing the collecting trough (1) to its operating position (as shown in figure 1 & 2) the flexible expandable mouldings in recesses (3 & 4) would be pressurised by air or hydraulic fluid, thus clamping the blade assembly firmly in its location within the module.

Claims

ROLLER CLEANIIG DEVICECLAIMS1. A roller cleaning device for removing liquid material continuously from the cylindrical surface of a rotating roller (9) Having a blade (5) releasably assembled on a blade carrier (6) with means of height adjustment (8) The said blade(S) and carrier (6) being situated within module (2) mounted on or within a collecting trough (1) adjacent to the roller (9) clamping of the blade assembly being achieved by pressurising one or more hollow expandable mouldings which are let into the recesses in the module.
2. A roller cleaning device according to claim (1) characterised in that the blade (5) is releasably retained by a plurality of magnets (7) set into the blade carrier (6) attracting the steel blade (5)
3. A roller cleaning device according to claim (1) or (2) in which the hollow expandable mouldings may be of different forms, sizes and location within the module (2) to achieve, both the desired clamping of the blade (5), and, forming a seal between the coating product and the module.
4. A roller cleaning device according to claim (1) or (2) or (3) in which alternative blade carriers are provided to permit the use of blades with varying thickness and lengths.